


Five times Iroh brough Lu Ten tea (And the time he returned the favor)

by DameSchnee123



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Iroh is a good dad, Lu Ten is a good son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:28:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27494233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DameSchnee123/pseuds/DameSchnee123
Summary: What it says on the tin
Relationships: Iroh & Lu Ten, Iroh & Ursa (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Five times Iroh brough Lu Ten tea (And the time he returned the favor)

⊰❂⊱

The first time Iroh brought his son a cup of tea was when the boy was one year old. The General had been mourning his wife who died in childbirth, taking some time away from work though not so much that the court would gossip. A Crown Prince must be strong even in the face of grief. He still missed Li Na terribly, her bell like laughter and the scent of peach blossom that always clung to her robes.

Desperate for an occupation he picked up the fine art of tea making and found that he enjoyed it. Taking the plants, steeping them, straining and then sweetening the tea, every part of the process with hidden secrets and intricacies that paved the way to perfection. Perfection which he dedicated himself to achieving, finding joy in the friendships and conversations his newfound skill brought him. Even his father and brother reluctantly admitted that his brews were flawless.

Today he had brewed chamomile tea, sweetened with honey and poured into a little orange cup with gold dragons painted on it, now that his son was starting to learn how to walk it was time for him to take a more active role in raising him. Li Na had named the boy on her deathbed, wishing him to go far in life and Iroh was determined to help him along.

The wet nurse brought Lu Ten to him, the baby babbled happily as he was placed in his father’s arms. “Baba ! Baba !.”

“Hello little one, today your dad has a special treat for you.”

His son was interested and watched him with wonder as he took the cup from a nearby table and gave him a few sips of tea. The baby swallowed, babbled pleasant nonsense and pointed his little hands at the cup, asking for more.

Iroh was left thinking he should’ve brewed an entire teapot, but the nurse wouldn’t have thanked him for all the extra nappies.

⊰❂⊱

Lu Ten was three years old now, laying in his crib with a decidedly displeased expression as a healer looked him over. The boy had caught a chill while out in the country with the Royal Family. It wasn’t anything serious thankfully but the toddler was still fussy and indisposed, and nobody wanted him anywhere near lets his chill spread. That left Iroh to care for his son instead of attending dinner, not that he minded.

After the healer walked out, Iroh picked up his son, which seemed to cheer him up a little, and felt as he tucked his head in the crook of his father’s neck comfortably.

“There, there little one, this too shall pass.” he stroked the boy’s back and carried him down to the kitchen, missing his usual babbling. “I know what’s gonna make you feel better, some nice, warm, ginger tea.”

Over the past few weeks he had been studying a fascinating scroll about medicinal teas, ginger tea helped a firebender warm up, allowing them to bend more easily. For his son, it would soothe the chill and help him get over the illness faster.

Once in the kitchen he placed Lu Ten down on a chair and set to work, by now the servants were used to his presence and didn’t bother him much. He sliced the ginger thin enough that he could see the blade through it, to draw out warmth and flavor without making the drink too strong. A small heaping of cinnamon, cloves and a little lemon rind to add flavor. Allow everything to boil for ten minutes and then strain, pour out and sweeten with a generous spoonful of honey and a bit of milk to mitigate any spice that would be too strong for the boy.

He took the cup in his little hands and drank happily, then held it out so Iroh poured more tea. After three cups he was warm and sleepy, so his dad carried him to the nursery for a nap.

⊰❂⊱

Lu Ten was ten years old and he loved his cousin. Ursa had recently given birth to little Zuko and since she was cleared for visitors neither Iroh nor his son let a day pass without visiting her chambers even for a short while. 

Ozai was always too busy to keep his wife company, and Azulon was occupied too so it was just the four of them, laughing and chatting up a storm.

“I’ve brought you some willow tea for your back.” Iroh said while setting the small table with three cups and a plate of bean curd puffs.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have bothered.” Ursa shifted her infant against her chest so he could nurse,

“It wasn’t a bother at all, and I helped !” Lu Ten rushed to the table to pour out tea for his father and aunt.

“Did you really ?” the woman asked as she sipped the drink. “Just how I like it.”

“He did, my boy is starting to learn how to steep tea to perfection.” He reached out to ruffle his hair.

“Daaaaad.” he groaned and desperately tried to neaten it up.

Iroh laughed and poured Ursa more tea as they all sat around the small table talking over going ons in the castle, Lu Ten’s training, tea recipes and Zuko who was busily feeding and ignoring his uncle and cousin who were there to see him.

They bid goodbye and left, stopping by the kitchen for some more puffs.

⊰❂⊱

Lu Ten is fifteen and he is constantly sore from training. Azulon was adamant about his grandson being the best of the best since he was Iroh’s heir. He seemed disappointed that the boy would rather spend time with his young cousins than practicing his bending and sword fighting. So he tried harder, trained more, and strained more.

“You know, you should take breaks more often.” Iroh said gently, while rubbing his back one evening.

Lu Ten was drinking his chamomile tea to avoid replying right away. “I have to train, father.”

“That you do, but if you keep a bow strained all the time it’ll lose strength and eventually, it’ll snap. But, if you take the time to release pressure, the bow will stay stronger for longer.”

His son nodded, understanding. “Alright then, I’ll take some time for scroll study with you every day from noon to three o’clock.”

“And pai sho ?”

The boy laughed. “And to lose at pai sho.”

Iroh smiled and embraced him, vowing to let his son win their next game.

⊰❂⊱

Lu Ten is seventeen and he just returned from his first day as a soldier.

Iroh was brewing up a pot of herbal tea in the kitchen where his son sat by in comfortable silence, waiting until his father brought him the cup full of a steaming, aromatic brew that tasted like an herbalist’s bungalow. 

“It wasn’t anything too exciting, just marching and learning the rules.”

“What about your rooms ? Comfortable ? Is the food good ? Do you have enough uniforms ?”

“Yes dad, I have everything I need, you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Can’t a man take care of his son anymore ?”

“You can.” he took another sip of his tea. “Rosemary ?”

“And a little bit of orange rind to amplify the taste.” His father smiled proudly.

“Tell me again, what flavor combinations are best ?”

As Iroh launched a passionate explanation on how to pair herbs, flowers and fruit to create the most exquisite brews, his son poured himself out another cup and committed the information to memory.

⊰❂⊱ 

Lu Ten is eighteen and it is the morning of his father’s birthday.

It’s early morning, the sun isn’t out yet and most of the staff is still asleep.

Good, that’s exactly what he needed. He snuck down into the kitchens and looked through the cupboards until he found his father’s favourite tea set, white with golden leaves, jasmine, lemon and honey. Everything he needed to brew a cup of jasmine tea to please even the most picky tea epicure.

He used his bending to boil the tea then added in the jasmine and stepped for exactly six minutes, added in the lemon and honey and set it on a tray with a plate of orange shortbread. 

Lu Ten could hear his father snoring from outside the room.

As soon as he woke up however they embraced for a long time, tea and cake forgotten.

Later on Iroh said it was the best Jasmine tea he’d ever had in his life.

⊰❂⊱


End file.
